Vehicle wheel assembly

Abstract

A vehicle wheel assembly includes a brake rotor and a wheel lock. The brake rotor has at least one of a plurality of studs and a plurality of threaded openings disposed at a rim. The brake rotor has a first lock opening that is spaced of the plurality of studs and the plurality of threaded openings. The wheel lock is received by the first lock opening when the wheel lock is installed to the brake rotor.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle wheel assembly, comprising:
 a brake rotor configured to engage at least one brake pad of a vehicle for braking the vehicle, the brake rotor having at least one of a plurality of studs and a plurality of threaded openings, the at least one of the plurality of studs or the plurality of threaded openings being configured to be supported to a rim of the vehicle wheel assembly, the brake rotor further having a first lock opening that is separate of and spaced away from of the plurality of studs or the plurality of threaded openings; and 
 a wheel lock for locking the rim to the brake rotor, the wheel lock received by the first lock opening when the wheel lock is installed to be engaged with the brake rotor, the wheel lock having at least one lock tongue that is movable relative to a main body of the wheel lock between a rest position and a locking position, the lock tongue being retracted relative to the main body in the rest position and being radially extended relative to the main body with respect to a center axis of the wheel lock when in the locking position to be received and engaged by a second lock opening within the rim so as to lock the rim to the brake rotor when the tongue is in the locking position and to release the rim from the brake rotor when the tongue is in the rest position. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle wheel assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 the rim to be supported to the brake rotor, the rim having the second lock opening, the wheel lock being received by the first and second lock openings when the wheel lock is installed to the rim and the brake rotor. 
 
     
     
       3. The vehicle wheel assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the wheel lock is threaded to the first lock opening and is not threaded to the second lock opening. 
 
     
     
       4. The vehicle wheel assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the second lock opening includes at least one hidden surface for receiving the lock tongue when the lock tongue is in the locking position, the at least one hidden surface being a surface that lies behind exterior walls of the rim such that the at least one hidden surface is not visible to the user. 
 
     
     
       5. The vehicle wheel assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the wheel lock includes a tool access portion for engaging a user tool, the tool access portion being positioned between the first and second lock openings when the wheel lock is installed to the rim and the brake rotor. 
 
     
     
       6. The vehicle wheel assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the wheel lock further includes an end surface having a key hole, the end surface having an outer circumference substantially equal to an outer circumference of the second lock opening when the wheel lock is installed to the rim. 
 
     
     
       7. The vehicle wheel assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 the rim having a plurality of stud openings for engaging the brake rotor, the rim further having a lock opening that is spaced from the stud openings, 
 the wheel lock being movable between a rest position and a locked position, the wheel lock being slidable with respect to the lock opening when in the rest position, the wheel lock being fixedly engaged with the lock opening when in the lock position. 
 
     
     
       8. The vehicle wheel assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the wheel lock is threaded to the brake rotor. 
 
     
     
       9. The vehicle wheel assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the lock tongue fixedly engages the lock opening of the rim when in the locking position. 
 
     
     
       10. The vehicle wheel assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the wheel lock includes a tool access portion positioned between the rim and the brake rotor when the wheel lock is installed to the rim and the brake rotor. 
 
     
     
       11. The vehicle wheel assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the wheel lock further includes an end surface having a key hole, the end surface having an outer circumference substantially equal to an outer circumference of the lock opening when the wheel lock is installed to the rim. 
 
     
     
       12. A wheel lock for locking a rim to a brake rotor of a vehicle wheel assembly, the wheel lock being configured to be received by a first lock opening in the brake rotor when the wheel lock is installed to the brake rotor for locking the rim to the brake rotor, the wheel lock comprising:
 a threaded portion formed at a first end of the wheel lock for threadedly engaging the brake rotor; 
 a key hole formed at a second end of the wheel lock that is opposite the first end for operably receiving a key; and 
 a main body extending between the threaded portion and the key hole, the main body having at least one lock tongue movable relative to the main body between an extended position that is configured to be a locked position of the main body to the rim and a retracted position that is configured to be a rest position in which the main body is movable with respect to the rim, the main body further having a tool access portion for engaging a user tool for tightening the wheel lock into the first lock opening or loosening the wheel lock from the first lock opening, wherein the wheel lock is configured such that a user can lock and unlock the wheel lock to a second lock opening of the rim by operating the key to move the at least one lock tongue between the locked position and the rest position. 
 
     
     
       13. The wheel lock according to  claim 12 , further comprising
 the key to be received by the key hole, the key being operable to move the lock tongue between the extended position and the retracted position. 
 
     
     
       14. A method for installing a rim to a brake rotor of a vehicle wheel assembly, the wheel lock being configured to be received by a first lock opening in the brake rotor when the wheel lock is installed to the brake rotor for locking the rim to the brake rotor, the method comprising:
 threading a wheel lock to the brake rotor; 
 aligning a lock opening of the rim to the wheel lock; 
 mounting the rim to the brake rotor such that the wheel lock is received by the lock opening; and 
 locking the wheel lock to the rim by operating a key, the wheel lock having at least one lock tongue that is movable relative to the main body between a rest position in which the main body is movable with respect to the rim and a locking position of the main body to the rim, the lock tongue being retracted in the rest position and being radially extended with respect to a center axis of the wheel lock when in the locking position to be received and engaged by the lock opening, wherein operating the key moves the at least one lock tongue between the locking position and the rest position.